


Advent Calendar

by bunnysworld



Series: Have a Camelot Christmas 2017 [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 12:44:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12888141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Arthur has to go on a business trip and Merlin doesn't like it one bit





	Advent Calendar

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 of Have a Camelot Christmas 2017.
> 
> Notes of Day 1 apply :D

Merlin hated this. Even though they were together for almost a year, this was their first Christmas and Merlin had been looking forward to dragging Arthur through all the Christmas markets in town and do all the coupl-y Christmas stuff that could be done. 

Only for Arthur to surprise him with the news that he wouldn’t be there for the entire months of December as he needed to go on this stupid business trip and would most likely spend Christmas Day in Japan or on Hawaii. 

He knew it wasn’t Arthur’s fault. This was what came with being the main man of a company that had affiliates and partners all around the globe and large parts of the globe didn’t care about Christmas and what Merlin had planned for it. Which didn’t mean he had to like it. 

Even though he had been all cheery and making plans for when Arthur was back when he accompanied Arthur to the airport, he had fallen into a gloomy mood as soon as Arthur had kissed him good-bye and vanished behind the security checks. 

This was stupid. People in the street walking hand in hand were stupid. Christmas lights were stupid and so were decorations. Christmas movies were stupid. And Christmas markets were the most stupidestes of them all! He had to make up that word, because the official one didn’t even begin to describe how stupid things were. 

When he came home on the first of December, he found a postcard from Arthur in the mail. They had a lengthy discussion once in which Arthur said that postcards were only a waste of time and money and that it was much easier and a lot quicker to just call while Merlin had stubbornly insisted that postcards meant that the other person took the time to pen down a few words to let the other know they were thinking of them. 

Of course they had been on the phone since Arthur left but different time zones made it difficult, so Merlin smiled widely when he saw the postcard with a kitschy picture of what some people in Asia thought was Christmas and when he read the few words Arthur had put down. 

Had he thought that was it and Arthur was too busy to do more than send this one postcard, Merlin had been wrong. Each day, something was delivered to the house. Sometimes it was candy from the country Arthur was in, brought by a delivery person from a store in London, sometimes Merlin found a little video in his inbox in the morning where Arthur showed him where he was, especially when he had the time to go see the sights. One day, a plush panda bear sat on the doorsteps, wrapped in cellophane, waiting for him. 

In the days up to Christmas, Merlin’s collection of souvenirs had grown, even though most of the things were ordered and delivered in and by stores in the city. He couldn’t find out, though, how they all knew when messages of Arthur would drop in or another postcard was being delivered. Merlin suspected their friends were in on it and knew exactly what would be brought when. He didn’t mind, though, this little advent calendar idea was charming and it made him feel closer to Arthur.

When Merlin came back from work on Christmas Eve, there was nothing on the doorstep, no postcard in the mailbox, nothing. Since there hadn’t been a video message from Arthur in the morning, Merlin thought he was probably on yet another flight – he had lost count – and that whatever should have been delivered today was delayed. 

He didn’t really expect presents and all the things he got so far, but it was nice to be connected to Arthur like that, even though he wasn’t here. 

Slowly, he took his coat off and pulled the beanie off his head as he toed out of his shoes. Maybe he would just look at all the stuff Arthur had sent him so far and feel close to him.

But when he entered the living room, he was greeted by the sight of a huge Christmas tree in the corner. It was beautifully decorated and the tiny white lights made the whole tree glow. Merlin just stood and stared. 

“Do you like it?”

Merlin spun around. “Arthur!” In no time, he had wrapped his arms around Arthur’s neck and kissed him deeply. 

When they pulled back for air, Arthur grinned. “That’s how I had planned it.”

“How…? When…? You only wanted to come back next week!” Merlin didn’t let go and beamed widely.

“Yes, well…I couldn’t really think of a proper thing for the advent calendar, so I thought I’d send myself…” Arthur shrugged. “Did you like all those little things?”

“Love them, but…”

“But?”

“I like this one the best!” Merlin dove in for another kiss.


End file.
